Anyone doing it this year?
First half marathon for me (first race of any kind). Signed up ages ago when the furthest I'd run was 4 miles. Training has gone ok, but I hadn't paid enough attention to the map..... I thought John Wilson St was the hardest part, but now I realise they've put it through Hillreach.
Why would they do that? :-(
I see people have done it in previous years? Any comments or tips for the day? Cheers
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so yeh good luck!
Good race and atmosphere though, really enjoyed it last year. Mind you it was September and a warm, nice day. Sposed to be freezing by next Sunday!
(1) DO NOT wear a brand new pair of shorts without washing them beforehand. I had no skin left between my thighs after 3 miles and the remaining 10 miles was by the most uncomfortable experience I've ever had.
(2) Eat Pasta the night before. Have Porridge for breakfast before you leave the house, at least 1.5 hrs before you start running.
(3) Dont rely on Lucozade, PowerAde or GatorAde or any of them "sports drinks" to get you around the course. They're all full of sugar and will give you a hit that wont last. Look for a 4:1 carbs/protein drink. I can thoroughly recommend the High5 range, have been using it for 2 years now and I wouldnt attempt any long run or bike ride without the stuff now. The carbs keep you going and the protein stops the quad muscles breaking down.
(4) Energy gels. The Lucozade carb gels are brilliant and give you a kick within a couple of minutes.
Yeah, John Wilson Street and Hillreach werent fun but keep a steady pace and you'll be fine. Its far too easy to get caught up with the people around you. Its important to run to your own pace. Dont look up the road up the hill, keep your eyes focused on the floor about 10-15 yards ahead of you, you'll know when you've reached the top. Only when you start looking up and you begin to think how much bloody longer does this hill go on do you begin to put doubts into your mind.
Good luck!
TBH, when I ran the course with these guys 4 years ago now in 2008, it bloody hurt. A lot. I somehow got around in 2:45 but I felt like I was dying for almost a week afterwards. I was carrying a lot of weight and my fitness was a joke. 2 weeks ago, I ran 11 miles in 1:45 on a cool, wet Monday evening. Just one 500ml bottle of High5 and no gels. 1 day recovery and ran 10k the next, so different story now at 3st lighter.
If anyone has got a place and feels like dropping out, I'll gladly take it off of you as I'd love to take at least 30 mins off my half-marathon PB :-)
I'm looking forward to finishing it, not sure about the bits before that moment though. Will get some porridge in, already have a carb rich menu planned for the week (but then I do every week....).
Having some trouble with my right knee though, what seemed like the usual pains after a long run feels like it could be turning into an injury.
Also looking forward to the pub after, thanks to this I've had to watch the Watford and Barnsley games sober.
As an aside, if never used carb gels before, wouldn't go OTT as they can make you feel a bit queasy.
Enjoy the beer after!!!
Your time for 10 miles suggests that you're well capable of going under 1:50 but as it's your first race you will probably have pacing issues so be very careful to not tear off at the start and try to keep it nice and steady all the way around instead.
I'm doing the Great South again this Sunday which is a really good day too.
Good luck and enjoy it.
No energy drinks or gels for me. heard that before, but this all reinforces it for me.
Looking forward to it, will take it steady til I pass Hillreach then see how I feel after that I reckon. I'm running with/against a few blokes from work, but none are local. I'm looking forward to running round my streets as part of a giant pack!
Hitting Meantime first then maybe a few other pubs in Greenwich....reccomendations welcome!
On a sunday afternoon after you've been to the Old Brewery walk along the river to the Pelton as they always having live music from 5 till about 8 on Sundays. So if you are in Greenwich then i think its the best pub to be in.
Personally I sip a bottle of Lucozade for the first 8 miles or so but it's all about preferences, best (but not essential in this weather) to have a little to drink on your way round, water's fine - I didn't used to have anything but think I sometimes faded a bit due to dehydration but that was when it was warm, did 1h24 at Great Eastern two weeks ago. I don't use gels and a race is not the time to start!!
When I did Run to the Beat about three years ago the uphill was in the first half so not too bad, once that's out of the way try to run hard and see if you catch groups ahead of you, sometimes you will sometimes you won't but it'll keep you focussed. If you catch a group, sit with them for a bit then see if you can break away.
Best of luck.
PS Make your first pint afterwards a milkshake - good for recovery!
Still not recovered from my last long run last Friday which is worrying. Am trying to find a non-sleazy masseuse in Dartford with no luck.
Milkshake sounds like a very good plan!
The Run To The Beat website does mention buses as a route to the start so (without having had a good look at the map...) hopefully there will be a way. Either that or I'm walking to the start from Charlton station....
Going to be cold and wet by the looks of it...be sure to get those nipples taped up!
We walked to the Anchor after, good roast dinner in there for anyone else thinking of what to do and a live crooner.
@redpanda get them to meet you in Greenwich unless they are happy to walk but meeting at the O2 will be tricky.
They have shut the roads before the times that they said they would before. Or stopped the buses anyway.
I'd recommend the run for next year to anyone thinking of doing it, although it is a bit pricey and those hills were buggers!
I thought the hills were alright but I have been targeting the bigger ones in Dartford when training. The organisation however, I thought was crap.
I know you've done your race, but I read the various quotes on powerade/gatorade etc. If used properly they are fine. Drink a bottle a few hours before race, take a couple of mouthfuls every couple of miles and you should be good. As Best way with these things is to try them out on practice runs not as Salad says on race day.
Curious to know, as the three times I did it I had to walk to the start despite the promises that they would be operating.
One time I contacted both the organisers and TfL afterwards but never heard anything back, so it would be interesting if they are still promising better transport arrangements than they can deliver. It all added to the feeling that the event could be better organised, and there would be no excuse now after however many years they've been staging it.
Well done to all who ran it though - those hills aren't much fun!
Bit of a joke considering that was an officially advised way of getting there, and I allowed plenty of time. Could have done with way more signage when there too.
I saw a clip on Meridian News or whatever they call it now.